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<title>An unexpected hug by HoldingHands (Sapphireth)</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24613246">An unexpected hug</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphireth/pseuds/HoldingHands'>HoldingHands (Sapphireth)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>These little secrets [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Best Friends, Comfort, F/M, Hugs, caraxdin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:28:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,178</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24613246</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphireth/pseuds/HoldingHands</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>And then she bumps into something and suddenly her face is buried against a solid chest and a hand is restraining her head...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cara Dune &amp; The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), Cara Dune/The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>These little secrets [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1790608</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>121</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>An unexpected hug</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Cara wakes up she knows it's the middle of the night, and the first thing she notices is the silence. There is silence everywhere when they spend the night docked on a planet. When they're in space the Razor Crest comes to live with familiar sounds like the constant humming of the reactors and the different systems that make life possible inside the ship. But when they have stopped for supplies, like now, reparations or a job, the only noises one can hear are those from the wind or the occasional bird chirping near morning.</p><p>The next thing she notices is her need to go pee. By the time on her chrono it's still 2 or 3 hours until she will get up. The cot in her tiny room is small and her mattress isn't the most luxurious one precisely, but it's comfortable enough and she doesn't really want to get out of her blankets. She could try to hold it, though she knows she won't be able, and what's the point of waiting if she won't fall asleep again until she addresses her predicament?</p><p>So the ex shock trooper sits up briskly and jumps to her feet. Still a bit drowsy she tries to not trip on her way to the door. The Razor Crest has no actual windows so all the light they get at this ungodly hour comes from the fluorescent bars that mark the corners and the edges of the walls and floor.</p><p>Cara feels for the switch of the door but it's only after the third attempt that it slides open and she steps into the corridor. And then she bumps into something and suddenly her face is buried against a solid chest and a hand is restraining her head making her look downwards.</p><p>"I'm not wearing my helmet!" warns a deep voice at the same time she's about to yell at whomever the attacker is. Then she realizes that she knows that voice and that she's not being attacked. It's Din's voice, but not modulated by the vocoder on his helmet.</p><p>"Din! I'm sorry, I… I didn't know you were up."</p><p>"It's OK. I was being extra silent, I didn't want to wake you. You startled me."</p><p>True, she can hear his heart against her ear and it is racing.</p><p>"You startled me too, what were you doing up?"</p><p>"I just went for a glass of water."</p><p>"Oh." Well she really couldn't blame him for going out of his room without his helmet, this was his ship after all and she was just a temporary partner. At least that's what they agreed on when she left the job and the apartment that Greef Karga had generously offered her on Nevarro. She was going to help the Mandalorian with a bounty while they followed with the main mission of looking for the kid's people. She proved to be a valuable help, so she stayed after that job, and after the next one, and the next. It has been months from that, and the Mandalorian hasn't made any insinuations for her to go back to her previous life, quite the contrary, all his comments have led her to think that, for him, it is a fact that she isn't going anywhere yet.</p><p>Or maybe it is all in her imagination and he really wants her to leave him alone so he can walk through his ship without his <em>kriffing</em> helmet on.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I'll be more careful next time." She says.</p><p>"Don't worry. You didn't see me, right?" There is a fleeting tinge of panic in his unmodulated, low, masculine voice. As if he hasn't thought of that possibility until now.</p><p>"No!" She answers quickly. "No, I didn't."</p><p>"Then nothing's wrong."</p><p>"How about the kid? Is he sleeping in your room tonight?"</p><p>"Yes, but he's as my son, so he can see me."</p><p>"Oh, I didn't know that."</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>It occurs to her that they have been hugging for a while now. Well, he's hugging her, one hand on her head and the other on her back. Her own hands lay flat on his chest. He's covered in a long sleeved t-shirt and loose pants. She's covered in a short sleeved t-shirt and underwear. And normally she wouldn't think too much about being half naked in the arms of a man, but her cheeks and neck feel warm and there's a knot in her belly and the only thing she knows is that she doesn't want this sensation to end.</p><p>He clears his throat and his hands start loosening their grip on her. "Well…"</p><p>"Wait!"</p><p>He stops.</p><p>"Can you hold me a bit longer?"</p><p>He doesn't say anything, but he doesn't retreat from her either. She doesn't think he's going to answer when he says: "Of course." And he holds her back, tight.</p><p>"Bad dream?" He asks softly. He probably thinks that's what woke her up.</p><p>"No, not tonight." She doesn't elaborate. Let him think whatever he wants. It feels so nice in his arms. This comfort… is all she needs for now.</p><p>He leans his head on top of hers and exhales. Was that a sigh? Neither one dares to move, afraid to break the spell. Maybe he needs this comfort too. She knows he has his own nightmares, she's heard them. They both have their own demons to fight. She wants to protect him, to assure him that everything will be alright. So maybe it's not too selfish to enjoy his warmth and tenderness for a moment.</p><p>Eventually, and before it gets awkward, she makes to move.</p><p>"Thank you."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"How do we do this? I promise I'll keep looking at the floor."</p><p>It takes him a minute to understand what she's talking about and slowly releases her. "It's-it's dark anyway. You don't have to worry too much."</p><p>They pull apart and, looking down as she promised, she turns to her room and steps inside.</p><p>"Cara." He calls her.</p><p>She stops.</p><p>"Thank <em>you</em>."</p><p>She huffs and smiles and shakes her head. She presses the switch and the door closes. He can be lethal on the battlefield, his enemies fear him, he's strong and ruthless. That same man can be tender and caring, and can give the best hugs ever.</p><p>Cara is standing beside her bed like two entire minutes before she remembers what she had gotten up for. She promises herself to always get out of her room looking down at night starting now, and it's a good thing, because when she opens her door again Din is still there, leaning on the wall opposite her room. He jumps and turns his back to her.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I'm so stupid!"</p><p>"Did you need anything?"</p><p>"No, I'm just so stupid. I'm sorry, good night. <em>Kriff.</em>" He replies and goes to his room, next to hers.</p><p>She can't help but smile widely at his self-deprecation. He's so sweet. He was just there standing in front of her room.</p><p>A thought won't leave her mind while she heads for the vacc room. "That's <em>interesting</em>."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>One night I had this vision: Din holding Cara against him so she couldn't accidentally see his face. And that image wouldn't leave me, so I just had to write it down. Also it was the perfect opportunity to write in present tense for the first time. It is 'unbetaed', so all mistakes are mine. Thank you for reading.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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